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The Theoretical Foundations of
Focusing-Oriented Psychotherapy
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”This is a wonderful class! Ann and Glenn provide excellent teaching and modeling of Focusing. Together they have developed a unique way of leading us all to engage with their brilliant thinking on Gene Gendlin's writings. I was inspired, delighted, heartened and enthralled all through the first two courses and am much looking forward to the third module of this series! If you are new to this course, Glenn, Ann, and the whole group will welcome you with open arms. Highly recommended!”
“The experience of doing Focusing with Ann Weiser Cornell provides a rare and delightful combination: an effective method and a highly competent and caring practitioner. Ann is very warm and easy to be with, and she knows exactly what to do to help her clients achieve the quality of self-awareness that results in transformative insights.”
“That’s what I like in this class – that Ann holds a clear inner vision of Focusing. The intention of Focusing is clear.” |
A Discussion Group of Seminal Writings of Gene Gendlin led by Glenn Fleisch and Ann Weiser Cornell
If you're a healing professional who works with clients, have you ever wondered what really brings change? Gene Gendlin has thought and written about this, but his writings can be hard to read and apply. Join us in reading and understanding Gene Gendlin at a whole new level.
Focusing-oriented therapy offers a new and profound way of understanding and practicing psychotherapy. Much more than teaching formal steps of Focusing to clients, in FOT we learn how to be with people in a way that helps access and open up felt experiencing in the moment.
Ann Weiser Cornell and Glenn Fleisch created this series of phone seminars to read and discuss key writings by Gendlin that cover the major themes and issues of Focusing-oriented therapy, including: 1) understanding the experiential process of change and how it happens – the bodily feeling process and its carrying forward; and 2) the role of personal relationship – experiential interaction and how therapists’ responses affect clients’ experiencing.
Chapters Three, Four, and Five in “Focusing-Oriented Psychotherapy”
Our sixth reading seminar will center on three key chapters in Eugene Gendlin’s 1996 book, Focusing-Oriented Psychotherapy. Chapter Three can be found here.
The book can be ordered here.
Focusing-Oriented Psychotherapy is a remarkable book in which Gendlin sets out his clearest definition of what Focusing is and how to be with therapy clients in a Focusing way.
Yet what is often not as well recognized is how much of Gendlin’s philosophical approach is also set forth in this book.
For example, here are some excerpts from the chapters we will be reading:
“And yet, let us observe carefully: Her ‘self’ is not this ‘part’ nor any other part of content. Rather, she is the one who senses it, can speak for it, understands it, and senses its all goodness. The self is not any specific content.” (p. 35)
“This question about hidden feelings is answered if we understand the implicit texture of experience. It does not consist mainly of formed contents. Feeling responds to present living: it is not a hidden package underneath. To feel is to carry something further into present living.” (p. 37)
“According to my theory a ‘pathological content’ is nothing but the lack of a certain further experiencing.” (p. 38)
In these three chapters Gendlin explores an excerpt from a therapy session in which a real change step occurs for the client. First he views it from the client’s point of view, then from the therapist’s point of view, along the way making startling statements about the nature of the self, of therapy, and of change. It’s a thrilling section of the groundbreaking book that we are looking forward to sharing with fellow students of Gendlin.
Although this class will be of special interest to therapists, it is open to anyone interested in the human change process. We also welcome people who have not participated in the previous five classes.
Check back in June 2008 when we expect to make the CDs of past classes available. We have studied: “On Emotion in Therapy”
The Format and the Teachers Each one-hour class will start with slow, close reading of a key section of the article or chapter. Gendlin’s writing is so packed with meaning that when it is read out loud in the company of interested others, many layers are revealed. The teachers will discuss what Gendlin is saying in the context of actively working with people in a therapeutic way, and participants are encouraged to bring questions and case examples from your own work with clients.
You can expect to come away with practical ways of working with clients, based in a deep understanding of how change happens from a Focusing-oriented perspective.
Begnning in September 2008, we are offering a two-year training program in Focusing-Oriented Therapy, and this course may be seen as introductory to that program.
The Details The course will meet by telephone on six Thursday mornings starting May 22, at the following times:
• 8:30-9:30 AM Pacific
The cost for six meetings is $95 paid in advance. You can register below using our secure online store, or call 510-666-9948.
To Register
You will be given the number to call for the group once you have registered.
CEUs This course meets the qualifications for 6 hours of CEUs for MFTs and/or LSCWs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, PCE #1015. |
Glenn Fleisch, PhD, MFT,
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